Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons)

 ??? 

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the person or being whose hands they fall into. Magic items have been prevalent in the game in every edition and setting, from the original edition in 1974 until the modern fourth edition. Magic items are generally found in treasure hordes, or recovered from fallen opponents; sometimes, a powerful or important magic item is the object of a quest.

Weapons and armor

Weapons (such as magic swords) and armor in the D&D game serve to make characters more effective in combat. Commonly, magical weapons increase both the chances of hitting an opponent, as well as the amount of damage the weapon will deal, while magical armor decreases an opponent's chances of hitting the character. Some magic weapons and armor are outfitted with additional magical properties.

A vorpal sword in an example of a specific magical weapon in the D&D game.

Potions

A potion is a magic liquid that produces its effect upon a character when imbibed. Each type of potion has a specific effect, from turning a character invisible, to curing the character's wounds. Generally, a potion only functions once, when consumed.

Rings

Magic rings bestow magical powers upon a character wearing one. Most will function when activated, though some have a limit on how many times they can be used in one day.

A ring of regeneration is an example of a type of magical ring.

Rods, Staves, and Wands

Magic rods, staves, and wands are devices that can be used to produce a number of magical effects by a character wielding one. Some of these items reproduce specific magic spells, and can only be wielded by a character proficient in that type of spell.

Scrolls

A magic scroll is a spell or collection of spells that has been stored in written form. Once a spell has been cast off of a scoll, the scroll can no longer be used to cast that spell.

Wondrous items

Wondrous items are miscellaneous magic items can come in many different types. Some can be worn, and come in the form of cloaks, boots, belts, gloves, and hats. Boots of speed are an example of wondrous items which can be worn.

Some come in the form of books or tomes, such as the book of vile darkness and book of exalted deeds. Some are magical musical instruments that can cause various effects when played.

Some wondrous items can store other items in extra-dimensional spaces, such as the bag of holding or portable hole.

Ioun stones and the deck of many things are other miscellaneous types of items found in this category.

Ioun stones

Ioun Stones are magical items, which are based on similar artifacts from Jack Vance's Dying Earth series.

When functioning, they float in a circular pattern around their bearer's head, and grant various benefits based on their color and shape. Two stones of the same type will repel each other, and when drained of power, a stone becomes a dull grey, but still possesses the characteristic floating.

In the original Jack Vance stories IOUN stones are highly prized by arch-magicians, and are acquired from a race known as the archveults, who mine them from remnants of dead stars (in his book Rhialto the Marvellous).

In 2E Dungeons & Dragons it had been conjectured in Dragon magazine that Ioun stones instead come from the Positive Material Plane. Dragon #174 featured an article that included many dozens of new types of ioun stone, as well as an article about an elemental lord who hordes ioun stones on his home plane of radiance.

Under 3.0/3.5 editions of the rules they are instead manufactured by spellcasters in the same manner as other magical items.

In 4th edition, a deity named Ioun was introduced in the Player's Handbook.

Intelligent items

Some magic items possess an intelligence and sentience of their own, such as the Spear of Vix.

Cursed items

Some magic items affect the character using them in a negative way, either by design or by accident. The girdle of femininity/masculinity is an example of a magic item designed to have an undesired effect on the character using it.

Artifacts

An artifact is a very powerful magic item in the D&D game. Examples of artifacts include the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, the Codex of the Infinite Planes, the Eye and Hand of Vecna, Heward's Mystical Organ, the Rod of Seven Parts, the Mace of Cuthbert, and the Sword of Kas.